Judith Huf

Location: Pheasant Branch Conservancy
Dane County

I had to go to Madison on business and decided to do a little birding and butterflying in a place I had never visited. So much lovely blooming prairie and yet not so many butterflies as I had hoped. There were a few Fritillaries but not a one would land and let me get a look.

Ron Arnold

Location: NABA Sandhill/Seneca count
Wood County

I also saw a Tiger Swallowtail that couldn't be identified to species. This was the 20th year for this count. 64 different species have been seen over the years. The Bog Coppers and Little Yellow were new to the count. 1987 was the last time I saw a Little Yellow in Wood County. This one was very worn and pale. 6 butterfly species have been seen on every count: Acadian HS, Great Spangled Frit, Mourning Cloak, N Crescent, Eyed Brown and Monarch. 3 skipper species have been seen on all 8 counts since I've learned to ID them: Long Dash, Two-spotted and Dun. Thanks Mike for the help in those first few years. Most of the Two-spotted Skippers were fairly worn. What a nice day, not a cloud in sight all day, also a first for the count.

Sharon Morgan

Location: Town of Menasha yard
Winnebago County

It has been an amazing few days so far. I have never had so many red admirals in my yard. I think I have had over 100 of them in all the beds in a couple of days total. I hope they stay around for a while because it is so fascinating to see so many at one time. My husband counted 15-20 just while he stood there. It is so beautiful to see them flying from flower to flower. We might of been counting the same ones if they flew to another flower in the next bed so I can't be real accurate. Remember the total is for a couple days . On the alliums I got a shot of at least 4 at one time.

Judith Huf

Location: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Milwaukee County

Despite too many mosquitos, I saw a number of nice butterflies and birds and as a bonus I breakfasted on delicious wild raspberries. The Buckeye was only feet away from the spot where I saw one last week (same one?). I also watched in fascination an incident with several wasps. I think that two males were attempting to mate with a single female who could barely walk under their weight. Then the three were joined by yet another male and a short but fierce battle ensued. Two males were defeated and the female flew off with only one male mounted on her.

Jennifer Leffel

K. Java

Location: Amsterdam Slough Wildlife Area
Burnett County

I only made a couple of short stops today on a gravel road. Deerflies are out in great numbers making any lengthy stops sheer torture when not prepared. Yes Mike, as much as I dislike them, wood ticks are preferable to mosquitoes and deerflies.

Sean Heyrman

Location: Oconto
Oconto County

At our new house on the northern city limit. Yard backs up to thick woods, no grass yet planted but the Red Admirals are everywhere. Especially around my wife's potted plants. Had a half dozen or so flying around inside the opened garage late this afternoon. Truly a beautiful species. Going to try for some pictures this weekend.

Jorgen Goderstad

Judith Huf

Location: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Milwaukee County

So many mysteries in the butterfly world; why on Wednesday I saw not a single Red Admiral and today they were everywhere? Lots of Monarchs too as the milkweed is in full fragrant bloom. In the north meadow there were several lovely Halloween Pennant Dragonflies.

Judith Huf

Location: Riveredge Nature Center
Ozaukee County

I participated in the butterfly count on Saturday at Riveredge and although this isn't a complete list of all the butterflies we saw, I thought that a partial list might do until the official report comes out. Most impressive were the 20 or so Swamp Metalmarks we saw. This was a lifer for me and I got the most beautiful photo from only inches away.

Deb Hyde

Location: On the Red Cedar State Bike Trail between County Y and Downsville
Dunn County

There were tons of butterflies along the bike trail today. We spotted several Monarchs, Cabbage Whites, Great Spangled Fritillaries, Northern Pearly-eyes and too many Red Admirals to count! We even had a couple Admirals land on us while we biked. I almost felt like we were in a butterfly house. Didn't take many pictures as the deer flies and mosquitoes were wicked when we stopped biking.

SWBA Field Trip

Location: Sandhill Wildlife Area
Wood County

It was cloudy for most of the trip, but the rain held off. The Hairstreaks, Karner Blues and Skippers cooperated nicely. Swamp Milkweed was popular with many Monarch caterpillars, and a few plants were almost stripped of leaves. As can be seen from the photos, we also saw a lot of other things.

Andy Paulios

Julie Saalsaa

Location: Cambria
Columbia County

As I was dumping some weeds into our compost pile, I saw a butterfly I had never seen before, eating off some watermelon scrapes. I found this website and found out it was a Red-spotted Purple. I also have many Red Admirals in my flower garden.

Rick Fenstermaker

Judith Huf

Location: Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Milwaukee County

More Monarchs today than I could count. Interestingly I found another Banded Hairstreak in exactly the same spot as the one I saw last week. However it was definitely a different individual because its wings had no missing bits. Likewise the Little Yellow was again in the same group of plants down on the beach where I have seen the others in the past. Besides the butterflies, I saw 3 Hummingbird Moths sipping from the milkweed.

Cassondra Manteau

Location: 1100 Block of S. 76th in West Allis
Milwaukee County

My Yard- In addition to the butterflies, I also saw a Hummingbird moth sipping from the Salvia (May Night), Milkweed, and Echinacea. I've included a picture, hopfully you will be able to see it. I also think that I may have Monarch eggs on my swamp milkweed... we will see :)

Edgar Spalding

Location: Biocore Prairie
Dane County

This female black swallowtail showed no cell-end spot, which threw me for a loop but didn't faze the two males that pursued her high into the air for at 200 yards before she dropped fast down into the prairie. I thought the cell-end spot was a surefire underside field mark, but I guess it can be absent.

Esjay

Location: Fish Lake WA
Burnett County

Slow start with lingering high clouds. 3 yellow swallowtails likely Eastern Tigers on the wing. Could not get them to stop for a pic. Tawny edged would not pose open wing so I snapped that pic in flight. Gorgones were very fresh.

3rd year for this NABA count. 8 participants in 2 parties. Record high of 40 species. Earlier phenology this year gave us the summer generation of anglewings, which were abundant and fresh. Species highlights were Green Commas, Appalachian Brown, Dion Skippers, and my first ever Delaware Skipper. A fantastic day!

Daniel Jackson

Karl and Dorothy Legler, Mike Reese, John Stiefel

Location: Roughly 7.5 mile radius from Sister Bay
Door County

This was the 10th year for the Sister Bay NABA butterfly count. Record number of Dorcas Coppers. 3rd highest year for Monarchs. After supper we found a Question Mark nectaring at about 6:45 p.m. but it was outside the count circle.

Mike Reese

Judith Huf

Location: Wehr Nature Center, Hales Corners
Milwaukee County

The most remarkable butterfly of the day is this wonderful black spread-wing Skipper with the white tail edging which must be a Funereal Duskywing. One of the 2 Tiger Swallowtails was a black form female.

Judith Huf

Location: My Garden in Whitefish Bay
Milwaukee County

Worked most of the day in my garden and although there were no unusual sightings, I can report that Question Marks and Red Admirals really like watermelon. The Green Darner Dragonfly was newly emerged from my little backyard pond.

Andy Paulios

Ron Arnold

Location: Buena Vista Grasslands
Portage County

Lots of nectar sources but very little nectaring activity. Nothing cooperated for photos today. These were my first Regals. I was hoping for some photos, but they didn't even settle down long enough for a good look with binoculars.

Mike Reese

Location: Chequamegon National Forest northwest of the town of Clam Lake
Bayfield County

1.5 mile section of road from 9:15-12:30. I am still trying to get that really good photo showing the green in the wings of the Green Comma from below. I thought that I might be able to get it when it landed on my pants but as you can see I still don't have it.

K. Java

Location: Fish Lake Wildlife Area
Burnett County

I did most of my butterflying along Stolte Rd. through my car window as deerflies are just horrible. I even wore gloves when I did go out. The deerfly patch I wear on my hat only caught a teeny tiny portion of them. I did manage to get my first ever sighting of a Dainty Sulphur though.

Ann Thering

Location: Back Yard
Dane County

The Red-spotted Purple is even more tattered than it appears! I finally found a mated pair of Peck's skippers, and also saw a Hummingbird Clearwing and a Snowberry Clearwing.
On Aug. 3 (signup deadline July 27) I'll be teaching a butterfly gardening class at Olbrich Gardens (see www.olbrich.org under education).

Douglas Buege

Judith Huf

Location: Whitefish Bay, north-east
Milwaukee County

Took a walk around my neighborhood and was surprised by the number of butterflies to be found in an urban/suburban area. Wednesday I had my first Fiery Skipper, a female, and today my first male Fiery Skipper. This is certainly the year for visiters from the south.

Cassondra Manteau

Judith Huf

Location: Whitefish Bay, My Garden & Library Garden
Milwaukee County

I found my first Am. Snout while tying up plants in the garden that had been flattened by the heavy rain. Then inspired by yesterday's success, I walked to the Library where there is a fine flower garden. I learned that I need to plant blue salvia as it is a Skipper magnet.

Debbie Jochman

Around noon my husband and I saw this black-form female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail flitting around our backyard. It finally settled on the Tiger Eye Sumac. About an hour later we saw it again on our purple cone flowers.

Ramona Gonzalez and John Stuber

Location: the pond in my back yard in the City of La Crosse
La Crosse County

Came home at 12:30pm and found this beautiful Eastern Tiger Swallowtail feasting on a water lily in our pond in the backyard of our urban home. We live in the middle of a residential neighborhood by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse campus. Exciting weekend! Had our first hummingbirds in the yard on July 23rd!

Stan Rehm

Location: Butterfly garden, Lacy Heights, Fitchburg
Dane County

The Funereal Duskywing has only been reported five times in Wisconsin; interestingly, one of those reports came 10 days ago in Milwaukee, so apparently some have been blown or wandered north this summer. This one was nectaring vigorously on catnip.

Judith Huf

Location: Milwaukee County Grounds
Milwaukee County

This large open area is rolling hills of some native plants with many agricultural weeds. The most exciting butterfly of the day was the Bronze Copper found in a low wet area. Also of interest were the large numbers of Crescents

Ruth M. Schoenbeck

Location: Fond du Lac County
Fond du Lac County

Late morning: Witnessed an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail fly next door toward our neighbor's prairie field. I have never witnessed this species before. I was thrilled and happy to know that the prairie welcomes such beauty!